Re:The People’s Code
by snuxoll on Thursday August 11, 2016 @11:16AM
(#12268891)
Of course, this isn't the case when you are contracted by the government to develop software for them, which is a huge issue in my eyes. I'm not going to say let's ban shrinkwrapped software in the government (as much as I'd like to see everything the government uses be open source), but I think it's reasonable to require any contracted out to be released under on open license to the public, specifically because it ISN'T just off the shelf software.
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>>Of course, this isn't the case when you are contracted by the government to develop software for them...I'm not going to say let's ban shrinkwrapped software in the government
Shrinkwrapped software != bespoke software that is contracted to be developed for the government
IMO any software that is contracted to be developed by the government should be public domain, if the government "owns" the software then in reality the public "owns" it... after all the government is "for the people, by the people" right...
This does preclude the government from licensing the USE of software (like Windows, Office, etc) that is a completely different debate. However if the government is contracting with a company for the company to build custom software the exclusive use of the government they yes that should be Public domain.